UPDATE: 9:30 p.m. November 21, 2024
The man killed in an officer-involved shooting north of Stevensville Wednesday morning has been identified as Laurence John Conklin.
The Montana Attorney General's press secretary, Chase Scheuer, told MTN News the deputy was responding to a call for service at a residence north of Stevensville prior to the fatal shooting.
Scheuer says the deputy has approximately 18 months of law enforcement experience.
(first report 8:10 a.m. - November 21, 2024)
A Ravalli County Sheriff's Office deputy was involved in a fatal shooting incident Wednesday morning north of Stevensville.
Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton said the deputy wasn't hurt, but a man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheriff Holton said the shooting happened during a call for service to the man's residence.
The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating the incident with the Missoula County Coroner's Office at the request of the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Holton said the case would be turned over to the Ravalli County Attorney's Office once the investigation is complete so that a Coroner's Inquest can be held.
The deputy is on administrative leave, which is standard procedure for these circumstances.
Sheriff Holton stated it's common practice to request outside agencies to investigate cases such as officer-involved shootings to ensure transparency and avoid any perception of conflicts of interest.
The DCI is now investigating the incident.
